Adjustable support for ceiling lighting fixtures



V. ESOLDI ADJUSTABLE SUPPORT FOR CEILING LIGHTING FIXTURES Filed March 29, 1950 Sheets-Sheet i 8 VINCENT ESOLDI INVENTOR.

March 2, 1954 v. ESOLDI 2,670,919

ADJUSTABLE SUPPORT FOR CEILING LIGHTING FIXTURES Filed March 29, 1950 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 VINCENT ESOLDI IN V EN TOR.

Patented Mar. 2, 1954 ADJUSTABLE SUPPORT FOR CEILING LIGHTING FIXTURES Vincent Esoldi, Stirling, N. J.

Application March 29, 1950, Serial No. 152,657

6 Claims.

This invention relates to adjustable supports for supporting ceilin lighting fixtures and while particularly adaptable for such service has many other uses, among which are supports between the open beams of a house basement to provide for the supported storage of various objects between the beams, or as supports for hooks from which articles may be hung, etc.

An object of the invention is to provide a support adjustable as to length which may be conveniently and easily affixed between two ceiling beams or analogous elements, to provide a firm, rigid support on or from which lighting fixtures or other objects may be supported, and one which will greatly facilitate the hanging of lighting fixtures in a house already built, as well as saving labor and promotin the convenience of such installations in new building construction.

' With these and other objects in view, as may appear from the accompanying specification, the invention consists of various features of construction and combination of parts, which will be first described in connection with the accompanying drawings, showing an adjustable support for ceiling lighting fixtures of a preferred form embodying the invention; and the features forming the invention will be specifically pointed out in the claims. L

In the drawings: 7

Figure 1 is a top plan of the improved support;

Figure 2 is a side elevation of the support.

Figure 3'is avertical section through the support taken on'the line 3-3 of Figure 2.

Figure 4 is a fragmentary perspective view illustrating the manner of attaching the support.

Figure 5 is a detailed cross-section taken on the line 5-5 of Figure 3.

Figure 6 is a perspective view of a supporting clamp or strap employed in the support structure.

Figure '7 is a top plan of a connecting strap employed in the support structure.

Figure 8 is an end elevation of the connecting strap shown in Figure '7 of the drawings.

Figure 9 is a top plan of a modified form of the invention.

Figure 10 is a side elevation of the modified form of the invention.

Figure 11 is a fragmentary plan view of the modified form of the invention.

Figure 12 is a top plan of a modified form of the holding strap.

Figure 13 is a section on the line l3l3 of Figure 12. I

Referring more particularly to the drawings,

the main body I of the adjustable support is composed of a pair of channel members 2 and 3 each of which are similar in construction so that only one die may be required for stamping both channel members, thus reducing the cost of their manufacture. Each of the channel members 2 and 3 has angled sides 4 and 5 so that the two channel members will nest each with one of its sides engaging the exterior of the side of the other as shown in Figure 3 of the drawings, thus providing an elongated supporting member.

The bases of the channel members 2 and 3 are provided with a plurality of longitudinally spaced laterally extending slots 6 which are provided for the purpose of facilitating the adjustment of the length of the support and its attachment to ceiling beams, studs or like structures. The two channel members 2 and 3 are held in slidable engagement with each other by straps I which extend across and are carried by one of the channel members and have ears 8 which overlap the other channel member so as to permit longitudinal movement of the channel members relative to each other but prevent independent lateral movement of the channel members. The straps 1 have depending tongues 9 cut therefrom which extend into the endmost slots 6 on one of the channel members as clearly shown in Figures 1 and 4 of the drawings.

A supporting strap [0 is adjustably mounted upon the channel members to slide therealong and it has laterally extending ears I l which engage over the upper base of the channel members 3 so as to support the supporting strap l 0 upon the channel members. The supporting strap 10 has a depending oiTset portion I2 which threadably carries a stud l3.

Each of the bases of the channel members 2 and 3 has a pointed projection [4 on its end which is sharpened to form a knife edge as shown at I5 and in mounting the support its length is extended so that these points will engage the ceiling beams, stud or the like, indicated at A in Figures 1 and 4 of the drawings, after which a screw driver or other similar tool, indicated at I3, is inserted through two of the slots in the bases and by applying a prying action on the tool B the two channel members will be forced longitudinally in opposite directions, forcing the knife-edged points l4 into the wood of the beams, studs or the like for securely attaching the support. When the support is used to support a ceiling lighting fixture, a ceiling box It of the usual type is attached to the adjustable supporting strap II) by means of a fixture stud H. The fixture stud I7 is of the usual type which may be purchased upon the open market except that it has a slot 18 cut therein its full length and into its center so that it may be slipped laterally over the stud l3 permittin the stud to be threaded into the supporting strap l0. While the fixture stud is applied by tightening the stud l3, the fixture stud H and the ceiling box t6 will be tightly clamped against the supporting strap l9 and this strap, being of metal will be clamped against the channel members 2 and 3 forming a firm, rigid support for the ceiling box 16, as Well as a lighting fixture (not shown) which is attached by means of the fixture stud ll. These fixture studs are externally threaded so as to permit the attachment of a lighting fixture thereto. The tightening of the screw 13 will also cause the strap ID to tightly clamp the channel members 2 and 3 in adjusted positions.

The support is particularly adaptable and advantageous in putting ceiling fixtures in the ceilings of buildings already madein that all that is necessary is to out a hole in the ceiling the size of the ceiling box it then by tilting the support, before the ceiling box is applied, it is inserted through this relatively small opening, placed in a level horizontal position and by means of screw driver or tool B the knife-edged points 15 are forced into two of the ceiling beams securely attaching the support. After the support has been attached to the ceiling beams the ceiling box [6 is placed in position with the projecting portion 12 of the supporting strap Ill extending through the opening 28 which is standard in the base of the ceiling box. The fixture stud is then moved laterally over the threaded stud l 3 and the latter is tightened to securely connect the ceiling box and the fixture stud to the support.

The support is equally useful in new building construction in that it may be quickly and easily attached between two ceiling studs and adjusted to accommodate the distance between the studs without requiring any sawing or cutting of the support, and it also may be used between various other wooden supports such as studs in an unfinished room to'provide means for attaching hooks or the like from which articles may be suspended, as well as being adaptable for placing between ceiling beams of an unfinished room to provide supports for storage of material between the beams and out of the way.

The modified form of the invention shown in Figures 9 to 11 of the drawings is "similar in'all major respects to the form of the invention shown in Figures 1 to 6, inclusive, in that it comprises a pair of identical channel members 38 and Bi nested so that the base 52 of one ofthe members is spaced from the corresponding base 32 of the other member, as is clearly shown in -Figures 4 and 10 of the drawings.

"In the modified form of the invention the channel members 36 and 3! have the pointed inserting elements 33 formed on their ends which correspond to the pointed or sharpened projections 14. The channel members 30 and 3! are also provided with longitudinally spaced laterally extending slots 34' corresponding to the slots 6 by-means of which the two channel members may beadjusted longitudinally relative to each other to force the pointed-inserting projections 33 into the beams indicated at A of a building construction. Connecting guiding straps 34 are mounted about the channelmembers 3e and 3| and correspond to the straps 1. Two of these straps 34-are shown in the-drawings, but it is to'be-understood that only one such strap may be employed, if desired. The straps 3 4 are similar to the straps l, differing therefrom in that the straps 34 have projections 35 struck therefrom which engage in detent fashion in any one of the slots 34 to hold the straps against movement relative to one or the other of the channel members depending upon the channel member provided with the slot in which the projection engages.

In the modification of the invention shown in Figures 9 to 11, spacing tongues 33 are cut from the bases of each of the channel members near their ends provided with the pointed inserting elements 33, and when it is desired to attach the adjustable supporting structure to wooden beams in'a building the spacing tongues 38 are bent at right angles to the bases 32 and cut by tin shears or the like to the desired proper length for temporarilysupporting the adjustable support at the proper distance above a ceiling, indicated at B through which a switch box 39 is to be suspended, and thus the adjustable support will be supported at the proper elevation during the prying apart of the two channel members by a prying tool such as indicated at [3' in Figure 4 of the drawings. The fixture or switch box 39 is supported from the adjustably connected channel members Bil and El by a strap iii! in the same manner in which the switch or fixture box it is supported from the adjustable channel members '2 and '3 of the form of the invention shown in Figures 1 to '5 of the drawings.

It will be understood that the invention is not to be limited to the specific construction or arrangement of parts shown, butthat they maybe widely modified within the invention defined by the claims.

What is claimed is:

1. An adjustable "support comprising a pair of nested channel members, means holding said members in slidable engagement for longitudinal adjustment relative to each other, a pointed knife-edged inserting member formed on one end of each of said channel members and disposed in opposed relation at opposite ends of the support, the bases of said "channel members which form the top and bottom of the support provided with a plurality of laterally extending longitudinally spaced slots to receive a prying tool to provide relative longitudinal adjustment o'f the channel members and to force said inserting members into wooden house beams, a supporting strap slidably carried by said channel members, a threaded stud threadably connected to said supporting strap, and a fixture stud removablyengaged by the head of said threaded stud, said fixture stud having a portion thereof cut away so that it may be moved laterally over the threaded stud when thelatter is-connected to said supporting strap, said holding means having tonguescut therefrom which extend into certain of said slots to rigidlyconnect the holding means to the channel members.

2. Anadjustable'support as claimed in claim 1 wherein said bases have spacing tongues cut therefrom near their ends, said tongues adjustable to fixed lengths and adapted to bebentat right angles to said'ba'ses to form-temporary'spac-' ing supports for the adjustable support'duringits attachment to buil'ding beams.

3. An adjustable support-comprising apair of nested channelmemberaa'pointe'd knife edge in serting member formed on one end of each-of saidc'hannel members and disposed 'in opposed relation at opposite ends of the support, thedjas'es of said channel members which form the top and bottom of the support provided with a plurality of laterally extending longitudinally spaced slots to receive a prying tool for longitudinally adjusting the channel members relative to each other to force said inserting members in opposite directions, spaced holding members about said channel members to hold them in sliding engagement, each of said holding members having a projection thereon, the projection of one of said holding members adapted to engage at least one of the slots on the base of one of said channel members and the projection on the other holding means adapted to engage at least one of the slots on the base of the other channel member to prevent movement of each of said holding means relative to said channel members.

4. In an adjustable support as claimed in claim 3 wherein said projection in each of said holding; means comprises a medially disposed indentation to engage at least one of said slots in cletent fashion.

5. In an adjustable support as claimed in claim 3 wherein said projection on each 01"" said holding means comprises a tongue struck therefrom for engagement with at least one of said slots.

6. An adjustable support as claimed in claim 3 wherein said bases have spacing tongues cut therefrom near their ends, said tongues adjustable by cutting to fixed lengthsand adapted to be bent at right angles to said bases to form temporary spacing supports for the adjustable support during the attachment thereof.

VINCENT EISOLDI.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 635,885 Watson Oct. 31, 1899 1,445,256 White Feb. 13, 1923 1,793,035 Whitney Feb. 17, 1931 1,878,821 Daugherty Sept. 20, 1932 1,927,515 Eastman Sept. 19, 1933 2,120,619 Matthieson June 14, 1938 2,140,861 Steketee Dec. 20, 1938 2,214,388 Summers Sept. 10, 1940 2,343,688 Maxey Mar. 7, 1944 2,387,951 Slater Oct. 30, 1945 2,461,794 Williams Feb. 15, 1949 2,528,418 Buckels Oct. 31, 1950 

